''New Life'' is the seventh
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by American singer
Monica, released by
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
on April 6, 2012. It marked the singer's debut release with the company following the disbandment of her former label,
J Records
J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG’s record labels in late 2008. It was distributed through the RCA Music Gro ...
in October 2011. A musical continuation of her commercially successful 2010 album ''
Still Standing'', Monica started working on the album only weeks after the release of the former. She reteamed primarily with frequent writers and producers, including
Tha Bizness
Tha Bizness is an American record production and songwriting team from Seattle, Washington, composed of Justin "Henny" Henderson and Christopher John "Dow Jones" Whitacre. Tha Bizness have produced songs for several prominent artists, including ...
,
Bryan-Michael Cox
Bryan-Michael Paul Cox (born December 1, 1977) is an American record producer and songwriter who is notable for his work with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Toni Braxton. Among his most notable productions are "Be Wit ...
,
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
,
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
, and
Cainon Lamb but also collaborated with new and upcoming producers such as a singer and rapper
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
, whose songs replaced much of her cousin, producer
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014 ...
's original material.
''New Life'' is predominately a
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
album with major influences of
pop and
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
. The album's lyrics explore the complexities of romantic relationships and stages of love, much of which was inspired by Monica's marriage to professional basketball player
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State ...
and her relocation to
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
. Guest vocalists on the album are rappers
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
and
Wale as well as singer and close friend
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
. Singer and actress
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
, who had previously collaborated with Monica on their number-one record "
The Boy Is Mine" (1998), features on the single "
It All Belongs to Me
"It All Belongs to Me" is a duet by American recording artists Monica and Brandy. Written and produced by Rico Love, Earl Hood, and Eric Goudy II, the track originally belonged to R. Kelly. He then gave the song to Monica and the label presented ...
".
''New Life'' received a mixed reception from critics, many of whom praised Monica's vocal performances and the album's
trend
A fad or trend is any form of collective behavior that develops within a culture, a generation or social group in which a group of people enthusiastically follow an impulse (psychology), impulse for a short period.
Fads are objects or behavior ...
-detaching nature but found the material too generic and cliché-addled. Upon its release, the album debuted at number four on the US
''Billboard'' 200, and at number two on ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart, selling 69,000 copies. With first-month sales of 116,400 copies, ''New Life'' sold significantly less than its predecessors. Singles such as "
Anything (To Find You)
"Anything (To Find You)" is a song by American recording artist Monica taken from her seventh studio album, '' New Life'' (2012). It features additional vocals from American rapper Rick Ross, and was written and produced by longtime contributors ...
" and "
Until It's Gone" failed to sell or chart noticeably on both the pop and the R&B charts.
Background and recording
Monica released her sixth studio album, ''
Still Standing'', in 2010. Chronicled by her
BET reality series of the same name which was aired between October 2009 and January 2010, the album marked her third album on
J Records
J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG’s record labels in late 2008. It was distributed through the RCA Music Gro ...
following the renewal of her contract in October 2007.
Released to critical and commercial success, it debuted at number two on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 184,000 in its first week, and reached the top of the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart.
[Caulfield, Keith]
Justin Bieber Tops Billboard 200 With 'My World 2.0'
''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-04-01. The same year, ''Still Standing'' was certified
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States and has sold 474,000 copies to date.
The album also garnered a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nomination for
Best R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre. Honors ...
.
Her biggest commercial success, the album was viewed as a humble comeback from Monica.
![Rico Love by Sandra Alphonse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Rico_Love_by_Sandra_Alphonse.jpg)
Monica began recording the album during the third quarter of 2010 — just weeks after the release of ''Still Standing''.
She recorded several songs in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
with longtime collaborator, producer, and cousin
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014 ...
, who was consulted to executive produce the effort.
Together, she and Polow worked on what was expected to be the bulk of the album as she envisioned creating the "meat" of the album's center with him.
Monica hoped that as with ''Still Standing'', determining an album title would help find a direction for the project, and she intended to finish the album by mid-2011.
As with previous albums, the singer reteamed with frequent contributors such as
Bryan-Michael Cox
Bryan-Michael Paul Cox (born December 1, 1977) is an American record producer and songwriter who is notable for his work with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Toni Braxton. Among his most notable productions are "Be Wit ...
,
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
,
Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
, and
Cainon Lamb but also worked with a group of several new musicians, songwriters, and producers.
It was however not until January 2012 that she recorded with other producers apart from Polow, when she entered studio sessions with
Pop & Oak
Pop & Oak is a songwriting and production duo consisting of Andrew "Pop" Wansel and Warren "Oak" Felder. Wansel is the son of Dexter Wansel, staff songwriter, producer and session musician of Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International Records ...
and D. Smith to record "Catch Me" and "Time to Move On".
Most of the album's songs were recorded at the Audio Vision Studios and Circle House Recordings in
Miami Florida
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at the ...
.
Monica recorded "Cry" at the
Chalice Recording Studios
Chalice Recording Studio is located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. Chalice opened in 2002 and is known for its elaborate interior decor and its large collection of rare and vintage analog recording equipment.
When Chalice ...
in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
, and "Without You" at the No Excuses Studios in
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
.
Sessions for "New Life (Intro)" and "Amazing" took place at
Doppler Studios
Doppler Studios is a recording studio in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, established in 1969 as a one-room studio, and grew to host seven rooms.
History
Founded by original co-owners Pete Caldwell and Tom Wells to serve as their jingle company ...
and South Side Studios in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
.
Initially expected to be released as her fifth album with J Records, much of the album was eventually recorded under
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
after the restructuring of the
RCA Music Group
RCA Music Group was an umbrella group of labels distributed by Sony Music Entertainment that existed between March 2004 and 2009, and for a short period of time between July 2011 and October 2011 as all RCA Music Group labels were merged with RCA ...
in October 2011 which shuttered J along with sister labels
Jive and
Arista. Originally scheduled for a November 2011 release, final recording sessions for ''New Life'' with producer
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
took place in October. On November 2, 2011, Monica took to
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
to announce that the album would be postponed and that she along with the label was planning to restructure "the entire plan for the album". Within the next months, she resumed recording for the album and booked additional studio sessions with
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
and co-producers Earl & E, Mr. Morris, and Pierre Medor to retool ''New Life''.
Music and lyrics
A
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
album, ''New Life'' features
upbeat
Up beat may refer to:
*Upbeat, in music, the last beat in the previous bar which immediately precedes the downbeat
*Anacrusis, a note (or sequence of notes) which precedes the first downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase
* ''Upbeat'' (album), by t ...
pop songs,
hip hop-textured midtempo tracks,
and
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
ic
ballads
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
.
Along with contemporary
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
sounds, its music incorporates soft
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
elements,
muted
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
,
and, particularly in Elliott's songs, heavy
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
influences that fit with the
quiet storm
Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style. It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album ''A Quiet Storm''.
The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Lin ...
radio format. Music journalist Tuyet Nguyen from ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' noted that the album is distinct from the
electronic dance music–dominated leanings that many R&B singers adopted during the late
2000s to early
2010s
File:2010s collage v21.png, From top left, clockwise: Anti-government protests called the Arab Spring arose in 2010–2011, and as a result, many governments were overthrown, including when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was Death of Muammar Gadd ...
, and characterized it as "a backwards-looking effort detached from contemporary trends", whose "lack of
autotune
Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances.
Auto-Tu ...
d verses and
dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...
bass drops are a welcome move away from gimmicky contemporary production."
Similarly, Allison Wallace, writer for ''
The Daily Californian
''The Daily Californian'' (''Daily Cal'') is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley, campus and its surrounding community. It formerly published a print edition four days a week on Monday, Tuesd ...
'', remarked that ''New Life'' contained "thick, sultry body-grinding R&B beats and fluttering falsetto solos that leave autotuned popstars like
Ke$ha
Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to Kemosabe Records. Her first major success came in early 2009 after she was featured on America ...
stammering."
Monica sings with impeccable deep
alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
vocals throughout the album.
Erika Ramirez of ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' asserted that in ''New Life'', Monica "chooses passion over pride and lets us seep in her vulnerability. Her deep, emotive voice pilots her when the singer dives down to pain's core."
''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
''s Jonathan Keefe found that ''New Life'' reflected Monica's intention "to develop a husky, robust
lower register that makes her voice even more distinctive."
Music journalist Ernest Hardy stated that Monica's "vocal power and masterful control of her instrument make her a singer's singer" in the wake of her idol and mentor
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
.
According to
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Matt Collar, the singer "recalls both her '90s heyday and the burnished, swaggering approach of such icons as
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
and
Toni Braxton
Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. ...
."
He felt that this was especially evident on such tracks as "Daddy's Good Girl", "Anything (To Find You)" and the ballad "Until It's Gone".
Songs
"
It All Belongs to Me
"It All Belongs to Me" is a duet by American recording artists Monica and Brandy. Written and produced by Rico Love, Earl Hood, and Eric Goudy II, the track originally belonged to R. Kelly. He then gave the song to Monica and the label presented ...
" is a mid-tempo R&B
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
that features singer
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
and ends in a
melisma
Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referr ...
tic form.
Lyrically, the song is a female
empowerment
Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming strong ...
anthem in which both singers claim their belongings as they leave their abusive boyfriends behind. The chorus has
pop cultural
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
references to
MacBook and
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
. "Daddy's Good Girl", is a musical pledge of devotion, in which Monica calls for love's assurance, singing "As long as I know you got that love for me, I'll be g.o.o.d."
"Man Who Has Everything" is
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
-tinged track about how money can't buy love. It has a
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
-inspired arrangement.
On "Big Mistake", Monica sings about heartbreak and moving beyond over-
finger snapping
Snapping (or clicking) one's fingers is the act of creating a snapping or clicking sound with one's fingers. Primarily this is done by building tension between the thumb and another ( middle, index, or ring) finger and then moving the other fi ...
and
a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
backing vocals, assuring "make no mistake, you won't my mistake no more."
"Take a Chance" featuring rapper
Wale depicts both parties of a love story in which Monica declared that she Is ready for more, while her lover stands still with hesitance.
Airy and featherweight,
it features an understated
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
instrumental, that fades into the background during the verses before rising into a layered affair for the chorus. "
Without You" is a ballad and musical dedication to Monica's husband,
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
basketball player
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State ...
.
It features a reverb-heavy percussion line, throbbing
synth riffs, and twinkling piano sounds.
"
Until It's Gone" is a
soulful, anthemic ballad built upon
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
with
piano chord
A chord, in music, is any harmony, harmonic set of pitches/frequencies consisting of multiple Musical note, notes (also called "pitches") that are heard as if sounding Simultaneity (music), simultaneously. For many practical and theoretical pur ...
s that mix a deft synth with a drum program studio vibe. Lyrically, the song explores the breakdown of an old relationship.
"Amazing", which deals with loyalty,
is a mid-tempo
slow jam
A slow jam is music with rhythm and blues and soul influences. Slow jams are commonly R&B ballads or downtempo songs, and are mostly soft-sounding with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content. The earliest known use of the term is the 1983 ...
that mixes distracting, amelodic electronic bleeps with Monica's vocal track.
"Cry" is a retro-soul ballad about finding strength in crying while in a loving relationship.
It features background vocals by its composer, singer
Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
.
On slow-burning "Time to Move On", Monica sings with seasoned, emotive voice soars and lung-bursting harmonies.
A light-handed use of
Stax
Streaming API for XML (StAX) is an application programming interface ( API) to read and write XML documents, originating from the Java programming language community.
Traditionally, XML APIs are either:
* DOM based - the entire document is read i ...
-era vintage sounds, it mixes her vocals with clean bluesy guitar riffs and gospel choir backups.
"
Anything (To Find You)
"Anything (To Find You)" is a song by American recording artist Monica taken from her seventh studio album, '' New Life'' (2012). It features additional vocals from American rapper Rick Ross, and was written and produced by longtime contributors ...
" is an uptempo song, which exhibits elements of the early - to mid-
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War ...
hip hop soul
Hip hop soul is a subgenre of contemporary R&B music, most popular during the early and mid 1990s, which fuses R&B or soul singing with hip hop musical production. The subgenre had evolved from a previous R&B subgenre, new jack swing, which ha ...
music and
sample
Sample or samples may refer to:
Base meaning
* Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...
s "
Who Shot Ya?
"Who Shot Ya"Bad Boy Entertainment, advertisement, ''Vibe'', 2004 Aug;12(875 or often "Who Shot Ya?"Sound recording"The Notorious B.I.G.—Who Shot Ya? (official audio)" ''The Notorious B.I.G.'' "Official Artist Channel" @ YouTube, 20 Sep 2019. (Th ...
" performed by
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
and
Diddy, while using an interpolation of
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
and
Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.
...
's "
You're All I Need to Get By
"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Ge ...
". Its original version also featured American rapper
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
next to
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
.
Titling and artwork
![Shannon Brown Naval Medical Center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Shannon_Brown_Naval_Medical_Center.jpg)
Monica stated in an interview with
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
's ''
106 & Park
''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rated ...
'' that while she considered ''New Life'' a continuation of her 2010 album ''
Still Standing'', the album marked a turning point in her personal life.
"We all as humans sometimes are fearful of what’s ahead. So ''New Life'' is just saying embrace the new things that can come into your atmosphere. It can be great for you. So as I embrace new love, new music, new people, new things. It's just been an amazing experience. So I named it ''New Life'' just as a representation of that."
She also stated that her separation from rapper
Rodney "Rocko" Hill, her marriage to professional basketball player
Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State ...
in November 2010, and their subsequent relocation from
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
to
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
contributed to that idea.
As with ''Still Standing'', the singer decided on the album's official title still during the pre-production process. Revealed via
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, Monica wrote on her account on December 16, 2010: "Have a great day
twit
TWiT.tv, which is the operating trade name of TWiT LLC, is a podcast network that broadcasts many technology news podcasts, founded by technology broadcaster and author Leo Laporte in 2005, and run by his wife and company CEO Lisa Laporte. ...
-fam. Don't be afraid of new things, new people, new opportunities, or new love. It just may give you a ''New Life''."
The album's official cover (standard version) was revealed on
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...
on November 3, 2011. A simple head-shot, the album cover was photographed by
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
-born photographer
Yu Tsai
Yu Tsai (Chinese language, Chinese: 蔡宇; pinyin: ''Cài Yǔ'') is an American photographer based in Los Angeles and New York. He also works in television, appearing as a creative consultant and judge in ''America's Next Top Model'', ''Germany's ...
on August 17, 2011.
The cover art for the deluxe edition, photographed by
Derek Blanks
Derek Blanks (born November 5, 1977) is an American photographer, illustrator, creative director, and producer.
Early life and education
Derek Blanks was born in Jackson, Mississippi on November 5, 1977. His father was a school teacher in Pearl, ...
, was shown after the album's retooling on March 19, 2012, and features another close shot of the singer's face.
Singles
''New Life'' was promoted by four
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
.
"
Anything (To Find You)
"Anything (To Find You)" is a song by American recording artist Monica taken from her seventh studio album, '' New Life'' (2012). It features additional vocals from American rapper Rick Ross, and was written and produced by longtime contributors ...
", a collaboration with rapper
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
, was the first single to be released from the album on August 2, 2011, surrounding the controversy over the removal of
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
's vocals, who had appeared on the song original version along with Ross.
Its accompanying music video was shot on August 18, 2010, by frequent collaborator
Chris Robinson and premiered on September 11, 2011. The track peaked at number twenty-five on the US ''Billboard''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart but was eventually not included on the track listing of the album's standard version.
"
Until It's Gone" was released for
digital download on September 27, 2011, as the album's second single. The song impacted urban mainstream and adult contemporary radio on October 3 and October 4, 2011, respectively, and peaked at number twenty-two on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart. Monica reunited with director
Diane Martel
Diane Martel (also known as Bucky Chrome) is an American music video director and choreographer.
Awards
Diane Martel was nominated for the Video of the Year for her work in "Blurred Lines" – Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell & T.I. in 2013.
Film ...
for the music video. The video premiered Monica's
Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
on October 24, 2011, to coincide with Monica's thirty-first birthday.
"
It All Belongs to Me
"It All Belongs to Me" is a duet by American recording artists Monica and Brandy. Written and produced by Rico Love, Earl Hood, and Eric Goudy II, the track originally belonged to R. Kelly. He then gave the song to Monica and the label presented ...
", the album's third offering and official leading single, a duet with fellow recording artist
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
conceived after ''New Life''s delay and subsequent rework, was released digitally on February 14, 2012. It reached number 23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Robinson and premiered on
VH1 on March 5, 2012.
The album's final single, "
Without You", impacted the US urban AC radio on May 8, 2012.
Critical response
''New Life'' received generally mixed reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. At
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a
normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an
average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...
score of 58, based on seven reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".
Adam Markovitz of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' criticized its "cheesy choruses and outdated tun", and called the album "a thoroughly last-millennium set of
self-help
Self-help or self-improvement is a self-guided improvement''APA Dictionary of Physicology'', 1st ed., Gary R. VandenBos, ed., Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007.—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a subst ...
ballads about starting over ('Take a Chance') and finding strength in tears ('Cry'), set to the kind of cheesy
slow-jam beats that were hot back during Monica's previous life as a '90s teen phenom."
''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' writer Ernest Hardy criticized the songwriting and called the album "a slickly produced collection of largely generic, meandering songs about self-affirmation in the wake of heartache and romantic disillusionment."
Tuyet Nguyen of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' commented that it "engages
onica'svocal strengths without ever really challenging them" and stated, "''New Life'' isn't about broadening horizons so much as it is about realizing a comfortable niche."
Although he found it "beautifully sung and slickly produced", Ken Capobianco of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' also called the album "numbingly predictable" and commented that Monica "deserves better material than the generic songs she works with here."
Ben Cardew of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' noted "limpness" in its songs and wrote that "there are far too many limp ballads to excite."
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
's Jonathan Keefe found the album "scattered and uneven", and accused Monica's collaborators of disserving her, writing that ''New Life'' "squanders Monica's on-point vocal turns on some cliché-addled songs and embarrassingly cheap-sounding production."
However,
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
editor Matt Collar found Monica's voice to be "in top form" and complimented her "saucy, spirited, and soulful vibe", writing that it "makes ''New Life'' such a refreshing and focused female soul album."
Commercial performance
''New Life'' debuted and peaked at number four on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 69,000 copies.
In total, it has spent 10 consecutive weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200. On the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart, it debuted at number two, spending 28 consecutive weeks on the chart.
This marked Monica's fifth top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sixth on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart.
[ In its second week, the album slid with a 70% decrease of 11 spots to number 15, selling 22,000 copies. In its fourth week, the album sold a total of 116,400 copies.] As of September 2015, the album has sold 196,000 copies in the United States. In South Korea, ''New Life'' peaked at number 70 on the South Korean Albums chart, meanwhile in the United Kingdom it peaked at number 20 on the UK R&B Albums Chart
The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...
.
Track listing
Notes
* signifies a co- producer
Sample credits
* "Until It's Gone" contains a sample from "I Don't Want to Lose You" written by Thomas Bell and Linda Epstein, as performed by The Spinners; and " 9mm Goes Bang" written by Scott Sterling and Lawrence Parker, as performed by Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip hop group originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, five months after the release of BDP's debut album, '' Criminal Minde ...
.
* "Cry" contains a sample from "Igloo Love" written and performed by Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi Gibbs (born May 14, 1972) is a Grammy winning American record producer known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, Robby, Fugees, Fergie, Estelle, Black Thought, and Miguel, and for his reggae-tinged (often referred to as ...
.
* "Catch Me" contains a sample from " Isn't It a Shame" as performed by Labelle, written by Randy Edelman
Randy Edelman (born June 10, 1947) is an American musician, producer, and composer for film and television. He began his career as a member of Broadway's pit orchestras, and later went on to produce solo albums for songs that were picked up by ...
.
* "Anything (To Find You)" contains a portion of the composition "Who Shot Ya?
"Who Shot Ya"Bad Boy Entertainment, advertisement, ''Vibe'', 2004 Aug;12(875 or often "Who Shot Ya?"Sound recording"The Notorious B.I.G.—Who Shot Ya? (official audio)" ''The Notorious B.I.G.'' "Official Artist Channel" @ YouTube, 20 Sep 2019. (Th ...
", written by Christopher Wallace, Sean Combs
Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
, Nashiem Sa-Allah Myrick, Herbert Magidson
Herbert A. Magidson (January 7, 1906 – January 2, 1986) was an American popular lyricist. His work was used in over 23 films and four Broadway revues. He won the first Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1934.
Life and career
Magidson was bo ...
and Allie Wrubel
Elias Paul "Allie" Wrubel (January 15, 1905 – December 13, 1973) was an American composer and songwriter.
Biography
Wrubel was born to a Jewish family in Middletown, Connecticut, United States, the son of Regina (née Glasscheib) and Isaac ...
; contains a portion of the composition "You're All I Need to Get By
"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Ge ...
", written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson; contains a sample from "I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over", as performed by David Porter.
Personnel
Managerial
*Melinda Dancil – album producer
*Peter Edge – album producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
*Trevor Jerideau – album producer
*Monica – album producer, executive producer
*Monica – album producer, executive producer
*Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014 ...
– executive producer
Performance credits
*Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
– background vocals (tracks 2–4, 6)
*Monica – lead vocals (All tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 5, 7–9, 11–12)
*Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layer ...
– lead vocals (track 2)
*Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
– background vocals (track 10)
* Wale – lead vocals (track 6)
Visuals and imagery
*Derek Blanks
Derek Blanks (born November 5, 1977) is an American photographer, illustrator, creative director, and producer.
Early life and education
Derek Blanks was born in Jackson, Mississippi on November 5, 1977. His father was a school teacher in Pearl, ...
– photography
*Anita Marisa Boriboon – art direction
Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games.
It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...
, design
*Sheika Daily – make-up
*Melinda Dancil – styling
*Jocelyn Goldstein – styling
*Erwin Gorostiza – creative director
A creative director (or creative supervisor) is a person who makes high-level creative decisions and, with those decisions, oversees the creation of creative assets such as advertisements, products, events, or logos. Creative director positions ar ...
*Mylah Morales – make-up
*Cesar Ramirez – hair
*Ursula Stephens – hair
*Yu Tsai
Yu Tsai (Chinese language, Chinese: 蔡宇; pinyin: ''Cài Yǔ'') is an American photographer based in Los Angeles and New York. He also works in television, appearing as a creative consultant and judge in ''America's Next Top Model'', ''Germany's ...
– photography
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
External links
New Life
at official Monica website
{{Authority control
2012 albums
Monica (singer) albums
Albums produced by Bryan-Michael Cox
Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri
Albums produced by Polow da Don
Albums produced by Missy Elliott
Albums produced by Rico Love
RCA Records albums